Mary Jane Fullerton
- Born: 19 Oct 1853, Cavan Townland, Killyman Parish, Tyrone, Northern Ireland
- Christened: 30 Oct 1853, Killyman Parish, Tyrone, Ireland
- Marriage (1): Unknown Unknown
- Marriage (2): Thomas McCaul on 20 Apr 1880 in 152 Hill St, Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland
- Died: 6 Dec 1908, Barnhill Poorhouse, Glasgow, , Lanark, Scotland at age 55
Cause of her death was Nephritis 3 days in Hospital.
General Notes:
Mary Jane's sister, Ellen, and her husband George Hill were married in Killyman Parish, Dungannon in County Tyrone, Ireland in 1870. Her husband Thomas McCaul (McCall) also came from this area as he was married there in 1869 to his first wife, Isabella.
There is no record of her in the 1871 Scotland Census, suggesting that she emigrated from Ireland after this time. Nor can she be found in the Valuation Rolls of 1875 as a tenant or landowner,but as a woman this is not a surprise.
Her paternal uncle Joseph Fullerton had emigrated to Glasgow sometime around 1862-1866.
In 1879 her illegitimate son, William John, was born in the Barnhill Poorhouse hospital. Mary Jane was recorded as a Domestic Servant domiciled at 63 Clyde St in Anderston, Glasgow. For a time he was raised by her sister and her husband.
When she married Thomas McCaul/McCall later that year it was a Free Church of Scotland ceremony, the Minister was from the Free Kingston Church, Glasgow. Research reveals that this was located at 80 Commerce St, Glasgow. This is about half a mile away, on the other side of the Clyde River, from where Mary Jane was living (63 Clyde St). The witnesses were George & Ellen Hill - her sister and her sister's husband. On this document her age is recorded as 25.
At the time of the 1881 Census Mary Jane was living at 18 North St, Barony, Glasgow with her new husband, Thomas McCall, 3 children from his previous marriage and their new child together, John. She was recorded as 27 years of age on this document, birthplace Ireland. Her husband Thomas was recorded as 33 years old, a General Labourer, birthplace Ireland. The children were: Francis, aged 13, a Scholar born Ireland; Thomas, aged 7, a scholar born Glasgow, Peter, aged 4 born Glasgow; and John, aged 2 months born Glasgow. Her illegitimate son William John Fullerton was not recorded as living with them. It is almost certain that William was actually living as W J Hill, with Mary Jane's sister Ellen and her husband George Hill at this time. The Hill family were living at exactly the same address which appears to be flats.
At the time of the 1891 Census she was living at 68 Piccadilly St, Glasgow. The family surname is recorded as McCOLL. Her husband Thomas was the Head of the household. He was 47 years old, a Stableman, born in Ireland. Mary Jane was recorded as aged 36 born in Ireland and also living here was daughter Maggie, aged 2, born in Glasgow.
I can find no record of the McCalls in the 1901 Census, although their children were born and died in Glasgow, and Mary Jane died in Glasgow in 1908. Interestingly, I cannot find a record of her son William John, either, nor her sister Ellen (Eleanor) Hill and her family in the 1901 Census. William John married in Glasgow just 2 years later. Is it possible they all returned to Ireland for a time to visit a sick father? However, it seems unlikely that poor folk like these would head back to Ireland en-masse.
She died in the Barnhill Poorhouse in 1908. The informant was the Assistant Governor, John Cameron. Unlike another person on the same page of the Death Register, who also died there, she did not have an alternative residential address recorded. This might suggest that she was an inmate of the Poorhouse, and not just a patient at the hospital. She was recorded as the "widow of Thomas McCall, General Labourer". Her age was recorded as 46 but she was actually 55. _________________________________________________________________________
Barnhill Poorhouse
Barnhill Poorhouse was officially opened on May 1850. On admission inmates were fed, washed and their belongings de-loused. Life was harsh and the inmates were unpaid. The Poorhouse existed on free labour. In the early years the standard of food given to the inmates was extremely poor.
Some of the medical officers complained about the bad conditions. However, the Board of Supervision were constantly urging the Poorhouse authorities to make conditions even grimmer.
By 1898 Barony merged with the city of Glasgow and Barnhill became the largest Poorhouse in Scotland. Barnhill Poorhouse later became Foresthall Home until demolished during the 1980's.. There is a section on its history and records at <http://www.archives.gla.ac.uk/gghb/collects/hb29.html> "BARNHILL gave its name to the poorhouse which was built there in 1853. In the year 1810 a mental asylum had been built in Parliament Road and in 1843 was transferred to its present site at Gartnavel. The vacated building in Parliament Road was, in the same year, taken over as the city poorhouse, which in turn was transferred and amalgamated with Barnhill Poorhouse in 1905.
Strict discipline was observed in Barnhill. Able bodied inmates were required to make up 350 bundles of firewood per day and stonebreakers were expected to break 5cwt. of whin metal per day. Any inmate not producing the stated amount was put on a bread and water diet in solitary confinement for 12 hours. Disorderly conduct such as swearing or breaking of rules, resulted in being put on a diet, excluding milk and buttermilk, for a period of three days."
In 1945 Barnhill was renamed Foresthall House and Hospital, and the place can be aptly described as a village within a city. It occupies 33 1/3 acres of great natural beauty. Wide, well attended lawns add a fine setting to the rowan, laburnum, hawthorn and sorbus trees and their blossoms in season, mingled with snowdrops, crocuses and daffodils, add an intricate pattern of colour against the green background of the lawns. The grey lines of the buildings speak of an age of Victorian grandeur although they have a slightly military appearance. The gardens are maintained by a staff of nine employed by the Parks Department. Near the paint shop is a well, covered by a manhole, which is sixty feet deep and served the poorhouse with water in days gone by.
Foresthall has undergone many improvements within recent years and a plaque on the wall in the sitting room indicates this fact. It has been suggested that Foresthall be abandoned and the site used for industrial development. It would be more in keeping with the traditions of Springburn if this tastefully landscaped area was kept if only as an illustration of the improvements which can be made, by the efforts of the Springburn people, in transforming a Poorhouse into a beautifully designed hospital." Source: Glaswegiana - A collection of stories of Glasgow past and present, by William W, Barr, ISBN 0 904002 71 3
Noted events in her life were:
• She resided at the time of William's birth on 27 Feb 1879 in 63 Clyde St, Anderston, Glasgow, , Lanark, Scotland.
• She worked as a Domestic Servant at the time of her marriage on 20 Apr 1880 in Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland.
• She resided at the time of her marriage on 20 Apr 1880 in 63 Clyde St, Anderston, Glasgow, , Lanark, Scotland.
• She resided at the time of the Census in 1881 in 18 North St, Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland.
Mary had a relationship with Unknown Unknown, son of Unknown and Unknown.
Mary next married Thomas McCaul, son of Andrew McCaul and Ann McCaul, on 20 Apr 1880 in 152 Hill St, Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland. (Thomas McCaul was born circa 1847 in Ireland and died 27 mar 1907-Bef 6 Dec 1908.)
Marriage Notes:
It was a Free Church of Scotland ceremony, the Minister was from the Free Kingston Church, Glasgow. Witnesses were George & Ellen Hill - Mary Jane's sister and her husband.
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